Auto Club: Gas Price Drops Stop In Most Areas

(Victor Valley)–Gas price averages moved up slightly in most Southern California areas last week as refineries continued their annual process to switch from winter to summer gasoline production, according to Automobile Club of Southern California’s Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $3.26 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is unchanged from last week.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.30 per gallon, which is a penny higher than last week, 13 cents lower than last month, and three cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.26, which is two cents higher than last Thursday, 13 cents lower than last month, and two cents lower than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.32, which is one cent lower than last week, 11 cents lower than last month, and three cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.19, which is two cents higher than last week, 12 cents lower than last month, and five cents less than at this time last year. In San Bernardino, the $3.24 average price is two cents higher than last week, 13 cents lower than last month, and two cents lower than a year ago today.

“Last week, Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) reported that the region’s major gasoline pipeline will begin shipping ‘summer blend’ gasoline on or around Jan. 29,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Once that blend arrives at stations, it adds at least 12 cents a gallon to the cost of gasoline. Also, the Chevron El Segundo refinery reported a flaring incident Wednesday, although a spokesperson told OPIS the incident will have no impact on their ability to supply their customers.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Jan. 24, averages are: